Learning Disabilities
Does overlap exist between the types of disabilities?
Yes. 1/3 of all students with learning disabilities have problems in more than one area.
What challenges do learning disabilities create?
Challenges in reading, writing, and mathematics. Deficits in visual and auditory processing, and working memory. Difficulty with generalization, note taking, study skills, and memorization.
Do general education teachers struggle with distinguishing if an English language learner struggles academically due to having a learning disability or struggling to understand English?
Yes. This can cause both over representation and under-representation for ELL students who do have a learning disability.
Can learning disabilities be prevented?
Preventative steps: Reduce high-risk behaviors during pregnancy, improve maternal prenatal health, and address poverty-related challenges.
Definitive causes are unknown and neurological dysfunction of LDs have not been clearly identified. Multiple factors are associated with the presence of learning disabilities, such as genetics, maternal illness, maternal malnutrition, premature infants, low birth weight, birth complications (prolonged birth, oxygen deprivation) or maternal drug or alcohol use.
Does the term, learning disability, include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantages?
No.
Do students with disabilities display common characteristics?
Yes. Some may include visual processing, auditory processing, slower processing speed, decoding skills, struggle with note taking, mathematic calculations, and interpretation problems.
How can the challenges of learning disabilities be overcome?
With special education teachers use multi-faceted approaches, metacognitive learning strategies, and intense, individualized, and explicit instruction. Evidence-based interventions, UDL, accommodations, and differentiate instruction to meet students needs.
How long have disabilities been recognized?
Studies began in the 1920s and 30s. Learning Disabilities became an official term in 1963.
Are there medical advances that can help prevent, or reduce the impact of, learning disabilities?
Not yet. However there is headway in brain mapping technology which can help us understand brain functions and characteristics.
Does the term, learning disabilities, include such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia?
Yes.
Where do most students with learning disabilities receive their education?
In the general education classroom.
How can UDL benefit students with learning disabilities?
By offering flexible various ways to present content to students who struggle with visual and auditory processing and disengagement.
Ex) Student struggles with comprehending text is given a digital version which also comes with audio.
What are some more recent advances in the field of learning disabilities?
Curriculum-based measurements, progress monitoring, data-based instruction, and RTI approaches.
How can IEP teams select appropriate assistive technology for students with learning disabilities?
By selecting technology that compensates for, or works around, the effects of the students disability.
What does phonological process mean?
Manipulation of sounds. Patterns of sound errors that typically developing children use to simplify speech as they are learning to talk. A phonological disorder occurs when phonological processes persist beyond the age when most typically developing children have stopped using it. - mommyspeechtherapy.com
How are learning disabilities identified?
Response to Intervention & IQ-achievement discrepancy
If a teacher is implementing UDL, why would students need individualized accommodations?
UDL reduces barriers but students can benefit from accommodations which are stipulated in the students IEP and which teachers are required to provide. Ex) digital text, visual cues, previewing vocabulary, study guides, reader, noise reducing headphones, quiet area, small group testing, note takers, oral response, advance organizers, digital pen, spelling tools, increased wait time, etc.
Are there positive role models for learning disabilities? Can you name any?
Yes! Keanu Reeves (Dyslexia), Keira Knightley (Dyslexia), Orlando Bloom (Dyslexia), Michael Phelps (ADHD), Daniel Radcliffe (Dyspraxia), Whoopi Goldberg (Dyslexia),Steven Spielberg (Dyslexia), Jamie Oliver (Dyslexia), Anderson Cooper (Dyslexia), Cher (Dyslexia), Tommy Hilfiger (Dyslexia), and more!
Is assistive technology (AT) used frequently?
Unfortunately, many devices are used infrequently, or even abandoned, because IEP teams, teachers, parents, and students don't always know when or how to use them.
What is a false positive?
When a student is incorrectly identified as having a learning disability because they demonstrate poor academic performance. Occurs when a teacher is not providing evidence-based, high-quality instruction.
What are the different types of learning disabilities? Define each one.
3 Types of Learning Disabilities: Reading Disabilities, Writing Disabilities, and Mathematic disabilities.
Selected Types of learning disabilities: Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia.
Dyslexia – brain-based learning disability, impairs a person’s ability to read. Common difficulties include phonological processing (manipulation of sounds), spelling, and rapid visual-verbal response.
Dysgraphia – Neurological disorder, writing disabilities. Struggle to produce written language, struggle translating thought into text. Writing is distorted/incorrect, sizing and spacing is inappropriate, common misspelling. Disorder tends to emerge in young children learning to write.
Dyscalculia – Difficulty learning numbers and math facts, may have poor comprehension of math symbols, memorization, organizing numbers, difficulty telling time, and/or counting.
How do students learn how to use learning strategies?
Self-regulated strategy development(SRSD) and research based practices that are taught with explicit instruction and a strategic sequential approach help students learn these strategies. SRSD: 1- Develop background knowledge, 2- Discuss it, 3- Model it, 4- Memorize it, 5- Support it, and 6-establish independent practice.
What organizations have provided support for students with learning disabilities?
National Center for Learning Disabilities, Eye to Eye, Understood, Learning Disabilities Associates of America, Benetech, host of Bookshare, and more!
What types of AT devices are available to support students with learning disabilities?
Pencil graph, digital pen, apps, Bookshare, word processor, graphic organizers, calculators, etc.
What is the prevalence rate of LD in special education? Why are the rates of LD decreasing?
Around 39% of students in special education have learning disabilities.
Improved early intervention strategies and improved identification procedures, ex: ASD instead of LD.